Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain
"The concentration of production of rare earth elements (REEs) outside the United States raises the
important issue of supply vulnerability. REEs are used for new energy technologies and national
security applications. Is the United States vulnerable to supply disruptions of REEs? Are these
elements essential to U.S. national security and economic well-being?

There are 17 rare earth elements (REEs), 15 within the chemical group called lanthanides, plus
yttrium and scandium. The lanthanides consist of the following: lanthanum, cerium,
praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium,
dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium. Rare earths are moderately
abundant in the earth’s crust, some even more abundant than copper, lead, gold, and platinum.
While more abundant than many other minerals, REE are not concentrated enough to make them
easily exploitable economically. The United States was once self-reliant in domestically produced
REEs, but over the past 15 years has become 100% reliant on imports, primarily from China,
because of lower-cost operations..."